Players & Thieves
by The Occasional Writer
Summary: "Every so often, however, she catches herself glancing at the piece of paper Beck left, the word 'opportunity' steadily ringing in her head." Alternate Universe. Jade is enrolled at Tisch School of the Arts in New York. When she clashes with the overly confident player Beck Oliver, their lives take an unexpected turn. Multichapter! Rated T for suggestive content.
1. Chapter 1

Players & Thieves

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Victorious or its related characters

Chapter 1

Jade had only been in New York for a couple of weeks but already this quaint coffee shop near campus felt like home. She had just started her first semester at Tisch and was eager to find a nice cafe nearby where she could unwind and enjoy some great coffee. Luckily she found this place two minutes away, on Mercer Street, which usually wasn't too crowded. Today it was practically desolate.

She had arrived earlier than usual to meet up with Scott, from her script writing class, to go over some last minute details before they turned in their first rough draft assignment.

He was a good looking blonde with bright blue eyes and crazy writing skills. If his personality wasn't so chipper and annoying she may have considered taking him up on his previous offer of a date. But alas, the boy was just too bubbly for Jade's taste.

After a quick scan of the small cafe, she concluded that he hadn't yet arrived. She went to place her usual coffee order and made her way to her favorite spot in a corner at the back of the cafe, next to a window.

She was half way there when she noticed a slender, tan skinned guy with long, fluffy, dark brown hair that stopped just below his chin. He was sitting in her spot, engrossed in a book, and looking like he just walked out of the Victorian era.

He was wearing a perfect fit light grey vest with matching pants, a white undershirt and a dark blue tie. He was sitting with his legs crossed showcasing his beige dress shoes as he sipped his cup of coffee using only two fingers. Honestly the only thing missing from his ensemble was a top hat.

Any other day, Jade would find this somewhat comical but with him sitting in her seat, she's nothing but annoyed. So without giving it much thought, she finds herself marching up to the table and glaring down at him.

"Excuse me?" she asks as nicely as possible, desperately trying to keep her annoyance from dripping into her tone. The guy, however, is still too enraptured in his book to notice her presence.

"Excuse me?" she says again a little bit louder.

He just turns a page in his book and continues reading. By now Jade's blood has started to boil because if there is one thing she hates, and she hates many things, it's being ignored.

"DUDE!" she all but screeches as his head finally shoots up to look at her.

It's the first time Jade has gotten a full view of his face and she finds herself taken aback as she mulls over his features.

His skin is practically flawless, with early signs of stubble coming in around his chin and upper lip. His lips are a nice moist shade of pink, and his eyes are a deep, penetrating shade of brown. His long dark brown hair rests perfectly around the outline of his face and works to accentuate his features, as if that were possible.

To put it plainly the boy was downright gorgeous. So much so that Jade had lost her train of thought and with it, her anger.

She just stared at him as she watched his face go from surprise, to confusion, to something resembling amusement.

"Hi" he says softly in a voice that's not as deep as Jade thought it would be but still just as sexy.

"Hi" she manages to get out in a faint whisper that sounds nothing like her.

His face breaks into a smile that makes Jade's heart beat faster than it already was.

Her anger starts to return, but now she's more angry at herself for acting like an idiot. It's not like she hasn't see a hot guy before. She's from LA after all and there is no shortage of eye candy there. Yet here she is behaving like a giddy school girl.

She mentally admonishes herself for her uncharacteristic stupidity, and furtively takes a deep breath to regain her composure

"You're in my seat" she says finally in a steady tone

"Am I? I wasn't aware there was assigned seating" he says still grinning

Jade suddenly wishes she thought this through more thoroughly

"Uh well I usually sit there" she says somewhat acerbically

"Do you? Well you're certainly welcome to join me." He says this in a way that Jade is sure would make the average girl melt.

"I don't know you" she spits snarkily

"Well, let's fix that" he says as he gestures to the seat across from him

There's a confident smirk etched on his face and Jade can tell he's probably used to getting what he wants. Used to women falling at his feet, jumping at the chance to keep him company. He's just the type of guy she can't stand so she decides right then that she hates him.

"I'm already meeting someone" she answers flippantly

He just stares at her for what seems like forever, only briefly breaking eye contact so his eyes can roam the length of her body. Jade notices this and is far from pleased.

"Your boyfriend?" he finally asks

"Maybe...Not that it's any of your business" she's answers back in a biting tone

His smirk widens and Jade is seriously starting to get annoyed

"I'm Beck by the way. Beck Oliver"

"Congratulations! Now about the seat, how much longer do you think you'll be sitting here?"

For a while he doesn't answer, he just stares. It's an intense, infiltrating stare. It's almost like he's trying to extract more information about her through her eyes. And oddly enough Jade feels exposed. Yet, for some reason, she doesn't look away. She just stares back.

And so they stare at each other until he finally breaks the silence

"You're very pretty" he states candidly, completely ignoring her previous question.

Jade shifts uncomfortably as she is momentarily thrown off by his frankness. She's heard this before of course. Her number of male suitors has never been particularly scarce, but she still finds the sincerity in his tone a bit unsettling.

She's certain he's said this to many different girls, probably just this morning, but strangely she can't detect any guile in his voice. It seems as though he's simply just stating something he believes to be fact instead of intentionally wiling her with words he'd expect she'd want to hear.

But she knows better. She knows a player when she sees one. She's had enough dealings with his kind in the past to understand the game he's playing and she's definitely not interested in becoming another tally on his presumably long list of conquests.

She does want him to move though, but he seems a bit preoccupied in his ogling and Jade is sure his thoughts are anything but appropriate. Suddenly, a smirk forms on her face as an idea pops in her head.

"So you think I'm pretty?" she asks slyly

"Absolutely" he responds without hesitation

"You live around here?" she asks quickly

He raises his eyebrows at this and pauses before responding

"Yeah, I do" he says slowly

"Then let's get out of here" she says in an enticing voice

His eyebrows furrow as he goes back to studying her face, once again trying to find the truth behind her eyes. Jade's alluring expression however, remains unchanged.

After a while his face breaks out into a full on smile that just might be the sexiest thing Jade has seen in a long time.

"You're not going to tell me your name first?" he asks. His smile never wavering

Jade leans down over the table to place her palm on his forearm and whisper in his ear.

"You have to earn it" she says as her lips graze the top of his right ear.

His skin is comfortably warm, contrasting against the icy cold that is hers and his smell is intoxicating.

She pulls away, standing upright again. She gazes down into his eyes that are now noticeably glossed over and smirks as she watches him slowly close his book and round up his belongings. He snags his grey tail coat off the back of the chair before he finally stands up, his eyes never leaving hers.

Jade takes a minute to catch her breath at the sight of him standing over her.

"After you" she says once her breathing has been regulated.

He takes a few steps around her and she immediately plops down in the seat he just vacated and puts her feet in the seat across from her, blocking him from sitting down.

She starts to laugh wickedly and it's only exacerbated when she looks up and sees his facial expression.

"Oh my gosh!" she manages to get out between her cackles "I honestly can't believe you fell for that!"

Mirthful tears threaten to spill from her eyes and Beck begins to clap slowly as his exasperated expression starts to fade.

"That was good. I'm impressed" he says as he starts to chuckle as well

"Seriously how often does that happen?" she asks starting to calm down a bit

"You mean random, beautiful women begging me to take them home? More often than you might think" he responds

"Hmm I can only imagine! Thanks for keeping the seat warm though. How very thoughtful of you" she says sarcastically

"I'm a very thoughtful guy" he remarks as his dashing smile returns

"Yeah I bet! Now if you'll excuse me, like I said, I'm meeting someone" she says with a satisfied smirk

"Right of course. Are you doing anything this weekend?" he asks seriously

Jade's facial expression is a mixture between confusion and incredulity.

"I'm...I'm sorry I thought that me leading you to believe that I wanted to hook up with you, and then laughing obnoxiously in your face at the mere thought of it, would have convinced you that I wasn't interested but...apparently it did not."

His smile is so big, Jade wonders if he might break his face.

"Pretty and feisty..." he starts to say as his look turns smoldering. "I like it."

His voice is barely above a whisper and Jade finds herself having to mentally shoo away some inappropriate thoughts as she moves to take a sip of her coffee.

Just then she sees Scott approaching out of the corner of her eye.

"There you are!" he greets with a big smile "Sorry I'm late. I was going to take the bus but it was such a nice morning I decided to walk instead."

Jade struggles to keep from rolling her eyes; the boy is way too happy this early in the morning

"Scott? Scott Brooks?" Beck asks barely holding back a laugh

"Well if it isn't Beck 'Pretty Boy' Oliver. How's it going man?" Scott greets with a chuckle

The boys exchange what Jade supposes is a bro hug and a few more familiar pleasantries, much to her disgust

"Wait..." Jade starts to say, somewhat confused "You two know each other?"

Scott was old fashioned, respectful, and an all-around nice guy. Jade couldn't imagine why he'd be friends with an egotistical womanizer like this Beck character

"Yeah we went to high school together here in New York. Ultimate ladies man right here" he says with a smile as he pats Beck on the shoulder. "If you ever have any relationship problems, this is the guy to see, he helped me out a lot with my ex"

Jade scoffs as Beck gives a flattered shrug

"How is Megan by the way?" Beck asks

"No clue. I broke off all contact after she slashed my tires. Last I heard she's out on parole and with child. I don't know if I ever thanked you for helping me dodge that bullet" he says with a laugh

"Don't mention it" Beck says returning the laugh

Jade was struggling to hold back some laughter of her own. She made a mental note to get details later. Now, however, she wanted nothing more than for this Beck guy to leave so they could finish their assignment.

Unfortunately, much to her annoyance, they just kept chatting away like she wasn't even there.

She was on the verge of telling the fool to get lost when they starting talking about how much they hated one of her math professors

"Hold up..." Jade interrupts again as she addresses Beck, "You go to Tisch?"

"Of course! Ol' Beck here is already one of Tisch's premier actors. He even has Professor Grant asking about his Oscar speech!" Scott beams

Jade's brows quirk at this. She had been trying to garner Professor Grant's attention the moment she'd arrived. He was one of the more reputable drama professors in the faculty and notorious for being a hard ass. If he even looked in your direction it was considered an accomplishment; him actually complementing a student's acting skills was practically unheard of.

Jade's face contorts into a pout. Knowing that this Beck fool had already sparked the professor's interest before her, only served to increase her dislike for the "pretty boy" more. She is the competitive type after all.

"He was just being nice" Beck chuckles out "I actually have class with him later this morning. It's dress rehearsal for his new play"

Jade winces at his mention of the play. It's a star crossed love story centered in the 1800s that she too had auditioned for. She had lost the lead however to this annoying brunette named Terri or Tori or whatever the hell her name was. Her anger over losing the part has since simmered down, but not before half of the negligible items in her dorm room met up with her trusty scissors.

"So I guess that explains how ridiculous you look", Jade remarks scathingly to Beck, and she is met with another one of his smoldering stares.

"Jade is quite the actress herself, not to mention an amazing writer" Scott cuts in with an innocent wink

Jade shoots him a death glare for revealing her name and Scott takes a step back in fearful confusion

"So it's Jade? How suitable of a name" Beck coos at her and Jade finds herself giving the biggest eye roll of her life

"So you are an actress? That explains your ease in manipulation" he says, throwing some of her words back at her

The staring contest resumes. Scott's eyes flit uncomfortably between the two of them as the tension in the atmosphere grows

"I didn't know you two knew each other" Scott utters to break the awkward silence

"We don't" Jade says quickly

"Not yet, anyway" Beck adds

"Not ever, actually" The bite in her tone is practically tangible

Their eyes had remained locked throughout the exchange and if Scott didn't feel uncomfortable before he definitely was now

"Ok well I'm going to go get some coffee while you two finish... doing whatever it is that you're doing..." He says awkwardly before walking away. Beck and Jade hardly notice however.

"A friend of mine is throwing a party at his apartment in Soho this weekend. You should come" Beck says

Jade lets out a snort. "For what? To hang out with a barrage of drunken, pestilent, idiots while they engage in lascivious activities? No thank you!"

"It's not that kind of party Virginia Woolf! It's upscale and sophisticated. "

"I'll pass; I'm not one for parties. Besides, I already don't like you, what makes you think I'd like your friends?"

Jade breaks eye contact to get out her class materials

"Some important people are expected to be in attendance. Maybe playwrights, film execs, Professor Grant..." Beck adds.

A devilish grin appears on his face when jade's head shoots up.

"I thought that might get your attention. I saw how you responded when Scott mentioned him. But trust me; he's trivial in comparison to the others that might show up"

"Might?" Jade counters

"Will" he says with confidence

"You don't know me. You don't know if I have any talent or if I'm just some crazed, bohemian wannabe. Why invite me to a party that's as prestigious as you say? Is sleeping with me that important to you?" Jade asks curiously

"Who said anything about sleeping?" he says with a straight face and soft voice

Jade fights off a blush as she tries to keep her thoughts in order.

"Scott thinks you're talented and he's pretty trustworthy. Plus you completely duped me earlier; in impressive fashion might I add."

Jade can't help but to return his smirk

"Look, I bet you anyone else at Tisch would die for this opportunity! You should take it" Beck pushes

"I'm not going to screw my way to the top! If...scratch that, WHEN I get there, it's going to be because I'm damn good" Jade states confidently

Beck's face breaks out into another huge smile

"Ok look, do I find you attractive? Definitely! Do I want to sleep with you? If I'm honest, Yes very much so! But if I'm really honest, I do see some potential in you and regardless of your first impression, I really am a thoughtful guy. Forget about me for a second and think about your future"

"Right, quick question! How many other girls have you invited to this party using that exact same line?"

Beck just laughs as he runs a hand through his hair.

"I have to get to class" he chuckles out as he pulls out a pen and small pad to scribble on

"Oh I bet you do!" Jade says sarcastically

Scott returns to sit down with a large cup of coffee just as Beck finishes writing.

"Here's the address to his place and my number. Just come, you won't be disappointed" He says as he slips Jade the piece of paper

"I have to get out of here but Scott, it's always a pleasure my friend!"

"You too Beck, see you soon my man"

The two shake hands before Beck turns to leave.

"Oh and Jade?" He starts to say as he turns back around "I'll be seeing you"

He gives one last smile and wink before walking away. And as much as Jade hates him, even she can't deny how good his butt looks walking away in those pants.

"So... You and Beck huh?" Scott asks sheepishly

"No, just me" is all she says

The statement brings a smile to Scott's face before they both shift their focus to their assignment. Every so often, however, she catches herself glancing at the piece of paper Beck left, the word "opportunity" steadily ringing in her head.

**Author's Note:** Oh Dear! What was that? Lol thank you to everyone one who made it to the end of this chapter because I felt like it was really long! This will be my first multichapter installment so I hope you enjoy it! I haven't decided whether or not to include all the original characters but I'll think about it. Please feel free to give me some feedback, reviews are greatly appreciated. Also, a big thank you to those of you who read and reviewed my first fanfic "I Know You". Your reviews were very kind and made me smile. Go check it out if you haven't yet! Thanks again! :-)


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Sorry for the epically late update. This is one of my slightly shorter chapters but hopefully it will re-spark your interest in the story! **

* * *

**Chapter 2**

It's a cool, crisp Saturday night in the City that never sleeps. The perfect night to release weekly inhibitions and fully experience all the wiles the Big Apple has to offer. Yet, Jade finds herself cooped up in her dorm room slumped over her laptop, typing profusely. While everyone else is out partying, she's working on her masterpiece of a horror script. She'd always been in love with acting but this new script writing class had really brought out her inner Poe.

As she types away, she hardly notices the entrance of her unlawfully chipper roommate and her equally offensive friends. That was until they started squealing like a group of uncivilized banshees and broke her intense concentration.

The mother of all death glares etches on her face as she watches them bounce around in excitement and she wills herself to refrain from telling them to shut the hell up.

"Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod it was totally him!" one of them bellows

"Ugh I know! He's like my favorite character on the show" another one chimes

"He's just as sexy in person, like it's not even fair!"

"Give me ten minutes alone with him, just ten, and I swear I'd..."

"HEY!" Jade screeches, startling them out of their fawning "Could you all do me a huge favor and shut the hell up?"

Well at least she tried to refrain...

Somewhat comical looks of disbelief scatter across each of the girls' faces as Jade's words register.

"I'm currently working on something that's way more important than your C-List Celebrity run-in so if you don't mind turning the unnecessary volume down a couple notches, preferably to mute, that'd be great thanks!" Jade says with a fake smile

"Gank" One of them says under her breath

"Psht, He's at least a B-lister!" Another one says more audibly and Jade just rolls her eyes

"C'mon girls, let's see if we can find those boots we saw at that store on Mulberry Street online " Jade's roommate speaks up trying to change the subject. The girls eagerly agree as they move to sit on her bed and bring out her laptop

"Jade feel free to have some of these left over cupcakes from Billy's Bakery" her roommate says as she places the box on her dresser "they're coconut and chocolate topped with toasted…" she trails off under Jade's intense gaze "…well they're there if you want them" she gives one last nervous smile before she returns to her friends.

Jade turns her attention back to her script and manages to type out a few more lines before the faint whispers and giggles of the girls become too much. She figures it'd probably be in everyone's best interest if her horror script didn't become a reality right now, so with a dramatic sigh she gathers up her things and storms out of her dorm with a huff.

It's relatively early in the night so she knows her favorite coffee shop is still open for business. When she arrives, she is relieved to see that there aren't too many people there. She places her usual order and resigns to her spot in the back corner of the café. Taking out her laptop, she once again loses herself in her writing.

After a while her fingers start cramping and when she looks up, she is surprised to see that she's the only one left in the café and the employees have started to put the chairs on tops of the tables in preparation for closing time. Always the diligent one isn't she? She smirks to herself as she begins to put away her things. As she is packing up, the door to the café rattles open.

"Sorry man, we're just closing up" she hears a voice say but she doesn't bother to look up

"Aww c'mon Tony just one more order please?"

Jade freezes. She knows that voice. It's been ringing in her head almost incessantly for the past week. She'd done her best to ignore it if not for the sole purpose of maintaining her dignity, but now it's no longer a vocal figment of her imagination. As she slowly looks up to confirm its source, she can't help but feel like a deer caught in headlights

"Why must you insist on coming every time we are about close? " Tony asks with a sigh

"The biscotti withdrawal symptoms usually kick in around then" The boy answers with a smile. "Seriously what do you put in them? They taste way too good to be legal"

Tony shakes his head in exasperation. " Four chocolate chip biscotti's to go I assume. Do you want your usual coffee order with it?"

"Please and thank you" the boy says with enthusiasm

Tony lets out another deep sigh as he goes to fulfill the order

Jade remains frozen in place. For some odd reason she thinks that if she doesn't make any sudden movements, he might not notice her. That theory however, is quickly disproven when his eyes absentmindedly flit around the vacant café and land on her own. They're just as piercing as she remembers them, perhaps even more so.

His mouth forms into a wicked looking grin as his initial surprise subsides and she wills her body not to shiver. She then tries to will herself to make a beeline to the door when he begins to saunter towards her but this time her body doesn't listen. She doesn't move an inch as he stops right beside her seat, towering over her.

"Well, well, well, what a nice and…_beautiful_ surprise" he says looking down at her

Jade doesn't miss his emphasis on the word beautiful as she holds his gaze

"I must admit, I was surprised you didn't call" he continues

"I'm surprised you were expecting me to" she quickly replies

He stares at her with a faint smile for a while before responding

"You missed out on quite the opportunity. Professor Grant was at the party for a full forty-five minutes"

"That's all? He didn't even stay for jello shots? How rude!" she says with feigned disgust as she grabs her things and stands up

"I told you, it wasn't that kind of party" he says slightly exasperated

"Whatever" she says as she side steps around him. He follows close behind as she makes her way to the exit

"Hey Beck don't forget your order!" Tony shouts from behind the counter

"Oh right, thanks Tony!" He quickly collects his items before scurrying after Jade

"Try coming during business hours!" Tony shouts again but Beck is already out the door

"Where are you off to?" Beck says once he's caught up to her

"None of your business" she says keeping her eyes focused ahead as she walks briskly

"My place is only a couple of blocks from here" he offers

"Wow! You don't waste much time do you?" she says through a snort

"Well life is short after all" He can barely hold in his laughter when her face contorts into a disgusted look

"C'mon it's a Saturday night, are you really not going to do anything?" he pushes

"Who said I wasn't going to do anything? She asks, eyes still looking ahead

"C'mon we can go anywhere. Anywhere you want just name it"

"Go away"

"We could get some food, maybe hit up a club or find a party, my apartment offer of course still stands" He says with a smirk

"No" She states flatly as she picks up her pace

They walk in silence for a moment and she can feel his eyes on her

"What's the highest vantage point you've seen of the city?" he suddenly asks

"What?" she asks with furrowed brows, finally looking at him

"Vantage point. What's the highest you've seen?"

"I don't know about 30 stories up I guess, why does it matter?"

"How'd you like to see it 60 stories up; rooftop view?"

This catches Jade's attention and she stops to address him

"You have casual access to a rooftop, 60 stories up, overlooking the city?" she asks a little skeptically

"I do," he answers confidently

"Where?"

"Let me show you"

"I don't know if that's a good idea"

"Why not? Scared of heights?" he challenges

"No, I'm just sensible. I usually try not to run off to places with men I don't know" she answers flatly

"Well if you come, you can get to know me while witnessing a breathtaking view of the city"

Jade takes a moment to ruminate over his offer. She loves beauty as much as the next girl and she knows that, at night, the city exudes much of it. Still she's not particularly enthusiastic about the idea of being alone on the rooftop of a skyscraper with him though

"How do I know you're not some sadistic, cannibalistic serial killer coercing me to my doom?" she finally asks after a long pause

"I take it you read a lot of dark fiction?" he presumes amusedly

Jade just shrugs

"Look just come, I promise I won't try anything"

"And I'm just suppose to trust you?"

"Yeah I'm a pretty trustworthy guy" he states plainly

Jade doesn't even attempt to stifle her snort

"C'mon, we don't even have to stay that long, we can leave whenever you want" he continues

Jade doesn't look anymore thrilled at the idea so Beck begins to empty out his pockets

"Look, just my keys, my wallet, and some change. No abnormally sharp objects, no hidden bottles of chloroform, no double-knotted rope. Feel free to pat me down if you'd like, in fact, I insist!" he says with a wink and a smile

Jade can't help the small smile that forms on her own lips

"I have biscotti's" he pushes further "The best in the city as far as I'm concerned. I'd barely consider sharing them with my own mother, but if you come I might just offer you a third of one" he says jokingly

"Wow a third of one of your giant biscotti's? Aren't you thoughtful" she says with evident sarcasm

"I told you I was didn't I? That first time in the café" he shoots back

Jade is actually surprised he remembers any part of their first conversation considering he seemed to be mostly preoccupied with ogling her form.

"C'mon what do you say?" he asks after a long moment, jarring her from her thoughts

She looks up at him and they maintain eye contact as she continues to silently wrestle with his offer. That feeling of being overexposed begins to creep back up on her, as their eyes remain fixed. After a while he finally breaks eye contact to whistle for a cab and wave it down. Once it comes to a halt, he opens up the back door and gestures in.

"After you" he says

Call it curiosity or a momentary lapse in cognition, but for whatever reason, completely unknown to Jade herself, she hops in.

Beck follows quickly behind and shuts the door.

"606 West 42nd Street please" Beck instructs the driver as Jade eyes him curiously

She racks her brain trying to recall where she's heard that address before as the taxi pulls off toward their destination

* * *

**Author's Note: I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter, your comments were greatly appreciated! The next chapter should be posted relatively quickly depending on your feedback so click the review button por favor! :-) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! I wasn't sure if anyone was still interested. Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy! :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

After about a ten-minute cab ride filled with Beck playfully refusing to divulge where they were going and Jade dodging personal questions, they finally arrive at their destination. Jade immediately recognizes the location, remembering an ad she'd seen while reading _The New Yorker_.

"The Silver Towers?" she whispers more to herself as the cab comes to a stop.

"Yes ma'am" Beck answers with a smug grin as he pulls out his wallet to pay the cabbie.

Jade hops out of the cab without another word, focusing solely on the twin glass-adorned, gargantuan buildings just up ahead. She'd seen pictures of them but this is the first time she's actually been. The exterior architecture is fantastical enough so she can only imagine what it'll be like inside.

"I would have opened it for you" Beck says pointing to the cab door as he walks around the cab towards her.

Jade ignores him as she continues to take in her surroundings. She makes a mental note to explore more of Manhattan when she has the time.

"You coming? Or are you just gonna stand there for the rest of the night?" Beck says amusedly as he walks past her. Jade follows him silently as a flood of thoughts bounce through her head. As they reach the door of the lobby, Beck opens it to allow her in and Jade just rolls her eyes.

"I'm not inept at opening doors" she mutters somewhat annoyed.

"I know but, contrary to popular belief, chivalry is still a thing" he answers with a dazzling smile and a nudge to her arm.

Once they're both inside he leads her over to the lobby desk to sign in as a guest. The female receptionist, who Jade supposes is in her mid-30's, noticeably straightens her posture as she sees him approach.

"Hello Mr. Oliver, it's a pleasure to see you, as always" she says the last part rather seductively.

"Nice to see you as well Bridget but please, like I said, just call me Beck" he says politely as he reaches for the guest book.

"Of course anything you say, Sir" she says in the same tone as she bashes her eyelids at him.

Jade can't help but shake her head at the woman's obvious lack of shame. Bridget's gesture goes unnoticed by Beck, however, as he turns his head to address Jade.

"Ok sign right here and we are good to go" he says with a smile, handing her a pen from the desk.

Jade amusedly watches as Bridget's face contorts into a bitter scowl. She quickly grabs the pen from Beck and signs her name in the guest book.

"Enjoy your visit miss" Bridget says through gritted teeth and a faux smile.

"Oh, I'm sure I will" Jade says mimicking the smile before she turns and allows Beck to usher her to the elevators. She can practically feel Bridget's eyes throwing daggers at her as she walks away.

The elevator doors are already opening to allow some other residents out. Once they've all filed out, Beck directs Jade to go in first as he politely holds back the elevator doors for her. She shuffles in and Beck quickly follows, hitting the button to the 57th floor as he enters. Jade puts some distance between them as she heads to the back of the now empty elevator to lean against the wall. She shudders a bit when it starts to move. Elevators have long been one of the many things on her hate list. Beck moves to the back to lean beside her against the wall with his arms folded. The silence that suddenly fills the air only works to add to her discomfort. For a split second she actually wishes some annoying elevator music was playing.

"So…The Silver Towers huh?" she asks more to break the silence than to receive an answer.

"Yep" is all he says, with the same smile and eyes still fixed on her.

The silence resumes and Jade finds herself staring at the floor indicator, mentally willing it to go faster. As it rises at an agonizingly slow pace, she tries to steal a glance over at him but is again met with his piercing eyes and warm smile as he glances back. She quickly looks away and pushes herself off the wall to step back toward the front of the spacious elevator. As it continues its gradual ascent Jade becomes increasingly agitated. She begins to tap her right foot nervously and the marked sound echoes off the marble walls. Beck watches her curiously for a while before speaking up.

"You ok?" he asks trying to hide his amusement.

"I'm fine" she snaps quickly but continues to swiftly tap her foot.

"I take it elevators aren't your thing?" he questions.

"I said I'm fine!" she snaps at him again but curses under her breath and begins to pace about when she looks back up to see that they are only on the 25th floor. She hates that she's starting to lose her composure in front of him but did he seriously have to lead her into the slowest elevator in existence? She tries to calm herself by taking a few deep breaths but the air around her suddenly seems thicker and her throat feels constricted, and when the hell did the temperature get so hot? She starts to feel a little lightheaded and briefly wonders if she might faint and end up suffocating on the floor of this god-forsaken elevator.

"Pick a number between zero and nine" Beck suddenly says, cutting through her frantic thoughts.

"What?" She asks a bit disoriented.

"Pick any number you want between zero and nine" he repeats "but don't tell me what it is"

"Why?" She asks in confusion.

"C'mon just do it, do you have a number in mind?"

Jade has no idea what he's getting at but, in her disoriented state, she decides to humor him.

"Yeah, I guess whatever" she answers still bewildered.

"Good, now double that number in your head"

"Okay…"

"Okay now add five to that number and then multiply your answer by five"

"What is this?" She asks starting to get a little annoyed.

"Just keep going, it's almost done" he coaxes.

She lets out a loud and lengthy sigh before gesturing him to continue.

"Ok remember that number. Now pick a different number between zero and nine"

"Is there a point to this?" she asks in a biting tone.

"Yes, there is. Now once you've picked a new number, add that to your previous number and then tell me your answer"

"Eighty-two. There are you happy? Are my math skills to your satisfaction?" she asks sarcastically.

"The first number you picked was five and the second number you picked was seven" he utters confidently.

Jade's eyes widen in surprise and her mouth drops slightly open. "How…how did you…"

"I'm psychic!" he quickly says with a smile before she could finish asking.

"Seriously though" she throws back after a brief pause.

"I'm being serious"

He chuckles out when she shoots him a scathing "cut-the-bullshit" look.

"It's a trick," he finally admits after a long moment. "Maybe I'll teach it to you some time, but for now it served its purpose"

"Which was?" She asks with knitted brows as the elevator slows to a halt.

He leans down briefly to whisper into her ear "You stopped pacing" as the elevator doors slide open.

For the first time Jade realizes that she had indeed stopped pacing. In fact her breathing was back to normal and she no longer felt on edge. Her eyes dart up to the floor indicator and a faint smile appears on her face when she sees the number 57. Beck moves to hold the elevator doors open.

"You ready?" he asks.

Jade just nods as she follows him out and down the long narrow hallway. They come to a stop at the end of the hall, at a door with a conspicuous red sign, reading _Roof Access: Authorized Personnel Only. _After a quick scan of the hallway to confirm that it was empty, Beck punches a code into the large code-lock on the door. There's a faint click and Beck opens the door and quickly ushers Jade in and up a small set of stairs.

They come to another door with another code-lock but this time Beck hesitates. Jade looks up at him in confusion but doesn't say anything. As she looks into his eyes she notices, for the first time, a hint of uncertainty and maybe even vulnerability, hidden behind his gorgeous brown orbs. After a brief moment though, a faint smile settles itself on his face and he finally punches the code in and opens the door.

Jade's breath is stolen the moment she steps foot onto the roof. The view is absolutely magnificent. The wonderful array of colorfully lit buildings, of differing designs and heights, stretch seemingly past the horizon and produce an atmosphere so ethereal and surreal that Jade has to fight the urge to pinch herself to ensure that it isn't all a dream.

"It's amazing isn't it?"

Beck's voice is somehow distant even though they are standing right next to each other. Jade has fallen into her own little world as she stands captivated by the scene in front of her. A faint "Yeah" in response is all the breath she has left to muster out.

"Over here" Beck gestures and Jade follows him absentmindedly while still taking in the view.

He leads them over to one of the cooling units and helps her on top of it. She then briefly holds his cup of coffee and bag of biscotties as he hops on as well. They both stare out into the distance in silence for a while before Jade speaks in a whisper.

"Wow, this is just incredible"

"I know"

"How did you even get access to this, I thought you lived a couple blocks from the café?" she inquires curiously, still looking out into the distance.

"I do. My dad lives here, he rents one of the lofts"

"Does he work here?"

"Nah, he works for Morgan Stanley on Park Avenue"

Jade nods at this new information as she tries to piece everything together in her brain.

"Well I guess that explains how he can afford this place but how'd you end up with the codes?" she asks, finally looking at him.

"Ah, the codes! Well you see that had less to do with my father and more to do with my dashing good looks and exceptional charm" he says and they both end up laughing together at his statement.

"Let me guess, it was your ever-so-lovely receptionist that was no match for your seductive wiles?" Jade jokes.

"Who Bridget? No way! I had to use my charms on those much higher up in management"

"Impressive" she says with a nod.

"Thank you" he says with a good-humored bow.

The silence resumes as they both turn their attention back to the expanse in front of them.

"So about that biscotti?" Jade finally says, gesturing to the bag containing them.

"Oh yeah, I did say I'd break a small piece off the end for you didn't I?" he asks with smirk.

"No actually you said you'd give me a third of one"

"I don't think that's what I said"

"You definitely said it"

" I think you may have misheard me"

"I think you're full of shit, now hand it over"

"And what will I get in return?" he asks playfully.

"How about a promise that I won't push you off this roof and steal all of them and your cup of coffee?" she asks with a straight face.

"Fair enough" he says as he takes one out and hands it to her.

She breaks a third off for herself and tries to give him back the rest. He shakes his head and mutters out "Keep it". Jade is kind of hungry so she doesn't protest. As she bites into the delectable treat, a heady groan escapes from her lips.

"I told you, best in the city!" Beck chuckles out.

"Oh my god!" she groans out again as her taste buds run wild with delight.

She takes her time and savors each bite, hardly noticing Beck staring at her contently. She's so engrossed in the heavenly piece of chocolate chip goodness that she's a little startled when Beck speaks again.

"So where are you from?" he asks.

"I thought we went through this whole "you-ask-me-questions-and-I-dodge-them" spiel in the cab ride over here?" She asks in between her bites.

"We did, but now I've shown you my secret hideout and you have half of my highly cherished biscotti in your belly" he answers smugly.

Jade shoots him a biting look for his not-so-subtle attempt at blackmail.

"L.A." she eventually relents.

"Really? I'm trying to move there after I graduate" he says as he sips his coffee and nibbles on a biscotti.

"Yeah, I plan to move back" she says.

"Any siblings?" Beck continues.

"One annoying little brother"

"I'm sure he's not that bad"

"You don't know him" she shoots him a serious look.

"True" Beck chuckles out.

He catches her eyeing his cup of coffee and offers her some. The biscotti has made her a bit thirsty so she takes the cup no questions asked. She wipes off the lid before she sips it and Beck smiles at her. The coffee is nice and strong, just how she likes it.

"Thanks" She says it so softly, that Beck thinks he may have imagined it. "So what about you, any siblings? She asks as she enjoys the brew.

"Nope. Only child"

"I see, so you're a spoiled brat then?

"Considering this view, is that such a bad thing?" he jokes.

"I guess not" She admits with a small smile before handing him back his cup of coffee.

"So how'd your parents take it when their little girl decided she wanted to be an actress?" he asks lightly, taking a sip from the cup.

"My Mother took it surprisingly well actually. Although she did learn a long time ago that it's useless arguing with me once I've set my mind on something"

"And your Dad?"

She let's out a short humorless laugh before answering, "He disagreed, as he does with everything that I do" her tone is bitter and her jaw tightens as she looks away from him and toward the faint horizon.

"You want to talk about it?" he asks after a while, noticing her change in demeanor.

"So about how many girls do you bring up here a day?" she asks abruptly, ignoring his question and snatching away his cup of coffee again.

Beck can't help the laugh that escapes him. "You're the first person I've brought up here believe it or not"

"Not! Seriously how many? At least two a day right?" she pushes

"I'm serious. I've never even told anyone else about it. It's nice to have a place for yourself you know? Somewhere you can go to think, to clear your head, to escape from everything and everyone" he says looking out at the city.

Jade suddenly and completely understands his hesitation before. His previous reluctance and almost nervous uncertainty at opening the roof door stemmed from revealing his place of solace. The realization brings a small smile to her lips.

"I know what you mean. I have a place like that too" she says looking out into the distance as well.

"Really?" He turns to look at her. "Where?"

"In Brooklyn. There's this park near the bridge"

"Brooklyn Bridge Park" he finishes for her.

"Yeah, I know it's not as private as your fancy rooftop but when I'm there, it feels exactly how you described; a place where this world disappears and my own is created"

"Show me" he says suddenly.

"Excuse me?" she asks a little taken aback.

"I haven't been there since I was a kid and I've never been there at night so, show me" he says with a smile.

"Brooklyn isn't such short distance from here as I'm sure you know and it's getting kind of late. Besides, you don't need me, you can go anytime you want"

"But I want to go with you" He says in a sincere tone, looking into her eyes.

Jade feels her breath hitch a little in her throat as she looks back at him.

"Please" He continues, "I showed you my place after all"

Jade rolls her eyes "I don't respond well to continued blackmail"

"Last time I swear" he holds his hands up in mock surrender. "There are some biscotties left" He says as he shakes the bag in front of her.

"I'm not a dog!" she snaps at him.

"I'm sorry, I know" he says trying to hold in his laughter. "But c'mon, please?" He continues, giving his best puppy dog eyes.

Jade takes another long look at the scene in front of her, soaking it all in, before the words almost inadvertently leave her mouth. "Fine, but we're not staying long".

A large smile etches itself on Beck's face and he quickly hops off of the cooling unit. "Lead the way" he says as he holds his hand out to help her down. Jade bats it away and hops down on her own accord. She takes one last look at the breathtaking view, unsure if she'd ever see it again, before they both head off the roof and back down the way they came.

The elevator ride down goes much smoother as the two engage in light conversation throughout. The subsequent cab ride lasts about twenty minutes, after which Beck again pays the tab. Not that Jade is complaining; cab rides aren't exactly cheap, even without the extra night fee.

"It's nice and peaceful. Definitely not how I remember it" he says once they'd finally reached the park and walked a short distance.

"Yeah, sometimes it can get a little hectic during the day"

"The bridge looks amazing from here, the city too"

Jade nods in agreement. "It may not be as spectacular as your bird's eye view but it's still beautiful, to me anyway"

"It is beautiful" he smiles at her. "You want to sit down for a minute?"

Jade just shrugs as she follows him to a nearby bench. They sit in comfortable silence for what seems like forever. As they sit there gazing at their surroundings, Jade wonders how they'd reached this level of comfort so quickly. She doesn't even really know him, yet she's spent the night in his company sharing cabs, biscotties, coffee, and secret places. It's all honestly a bit unsettling for her to think about, so she decides not to. Instead she takes the time to remind herself that this is all just a game.

"So what's plan C?"

"Excuse me?" He asks a little confused.

"You flash a winning smile, crack a bunch of jokes, engage the girl in witty banter, give her a breathtaking view of the city, and then let her take you to a cherished location that you've already seen before. What if she still finds you repulsive and is no closer to succumbing to your advances? Then what? Which leads me back to the question, 'what's plan C?'"

He gives an impressed nod and chuckle "You want honesty?"

"Please"

"I've never had to go past plan A"

"Really?" she says with feigned surprise

"Usually all I have to do is flash my pearly whites and the women turn to putty" he says with a shrug

Jade scoffs "I wouldn't exactly call them pearly"

At this, Beck begins to laugh. It's a deep, guttural laugh and all Jade can do is stare in intrigue as his mirth overtakes him. She knows what she said wasn't that funny, yet his laugh is strong and sincere. It's a pleasant sound she concludes, a sound she wouldn't mind hearing more than once. His head is tilted back, long hair skirting the edge of the bench as he bellows towards the heavens. The dim park lights perfectly illuminate his face and in that moment, Jade can't help but think he looks like a beautiful painting. Her lips curve in amusement and a soft chuckle escapes them as she watches him desperately try to regain his composure.

"You're something else you know that?" He says with a smile after he finally calms down.

"I know" she says with a smirk.

The staring contest, which they've apparently grown accustomed to, picks back up.

After a while he breaks eye contact to admire the rest of her facial features. She takes the opportunity to roam his as well. His eyebrows are somewhat bushy and his nose is broad. His jaw is nicely chiseled with a sexy dash of stubble, but his lips are what draw her the most. They're thin yet succulent and deliciously inviting. She doesn't doubt for a second his claim of women turning to putty around him. He truly is gorgeous.

"You're so beautiful" he says, practically mimicking her thoughts, as he brushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

He lets his hand linger near her face, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"What happens now?" she asks in a whisper.

"You tell me," he says leaning in a little closer. Eyes trained solely on her lips.

Her heart speeds up as he inches closer and closer and she briefly wonders if it's loud enough for him to hear. The smell of his cologne and his minty fresh breath is a bit overwhelming and she knows somewhere in the back of her mind that's she's treading on dangerous ground.

She pulls away from him just as their lips are about to touch and stands up. "It's kinda late" she starts "Take me home?"

He lets out a small, disappointed sigh before a faint smile appears on his face. "Sure" he says after he's stood as well. "After you"

The cab ride back to her dorm is silent yet once again comfortable. She stares out the window the entire time, admiring the beauty of the city. Even without looking at him, Jade knows Beck is staring at her. She can't explain how but she feels his eyes penetrating her skin. It's so tangible that she can't stop herself from fidgeting under his gaze.

The cab finally pulls to a stop outside her dorm building. Beck pays the tab, hops out of the cab quickly, and scurries over to open her door.

"My lady, your humble abode awaits" he says as he extends his hand to help her out of the cab.

Jade rolls her eyes and swats his hand away.

"I can exit a vehicle by myself, thank you" she snaps as she gets out.

She takes a couple of steps and notices that he's right on her heels.

"That was fun" he whispers near her ear, making her shudder slightly.

"I'm glad you find cab rides so amusing"

"Not the cab, although I did enjoy the view" he says with a nudge and a smirk.

He waits until she's finished with her scoff and lengthy eye roll before he continues.

"I meant the night was fun, you're fun"

"We barely did anything. We sat on top of a building and under a bridge. I'll admit you put in painstaking effort, yet ultimately; you were embarrassingly unsuccessful in getting into my pants. Now, if that's your idea of 'fun' then sure, we had loads of it" She utters flippantly.

She's met with one of the giddiest looks she has ever seen in her life and she finds herself getting annoyed. Seriously the boy cannot take a hint. How many times does she have to blatantly insult the fool for him to understand that nothing is going to happen between them?

She stops at the entrance to the lobby of her dorm building and turns to address him.

"Look I'm tired and you're starting to become a nuisance, so this is what's going to happen next. I'm going to go up to my room, take a shower, and go to sleep. Notice none of those plans involve you, so feel free to slither on to your next activity"

He grabs the door handle to the lobby before she can and opens it to allow her in.

"Have a nice night Jade" is all he says with the faintest of smiles.

Jade remains frozen however, her brows furrowed in confusion. It's not the reaction she was expecting. She thought he'd a least fail at a few attempts to gain access to her dorm, or go in for the proverbial 'end of the night' smooch, in which case a slap would be waiting for him.

But here he was, politely ushering her towards her destination.

They hold each other's gaze and after a moment his smile widens.

"You waiting for something?" He asks mirthfully.

"No" she says a little too quickly.

"Ok then, goodnight" he says still smiling.

She cautiously takes a few steps into the doorway as she watches him intently, being careful to keep her guard up just in case he tries something.

Once she's all the way in he carefully lets the door close. He gives one final nod and smirk before turning to walk in the opposite direction.

Jade just watches through the glass door at his retreating figure. She's still a little confused and, much to her surprise (and annoyance), a tad disappointed as well.

She quickly shakes it off though and reminds herself that he's just like all the others and she'd be stupid to even consider starting anything with him, no matter how attractive he his.

There are many facets that make up the nature of Jade West, but stupidity isn't one of them!

A sudden need to make this point crystal clear to the pesky fool overtakes her as she reopens the building door to shout out after him.

"Hey!"

Beck turns around but keeps walking backwards.

"This is done you know?" She shouts as she gestures between the two of them. "Game over"

He smiles briefly before his face contorts into an expression just as sensual as it is serious.

"You sure about that?" He yells back.

And before Jade has a chance to recapture the breath he just stole and yell back, he turns back around and disappears behind a building corner.

She stands there a while longer, mouth slightly ajar, wondering if she's ever been more unsure of anything else in her life.

"Shit..."

* * *

**Hate it? Love it? Want some more of it? Review and let me know sil vous plait! **

***Also shout out to ****_Dawnmist of RiverClan_**** for drawing my punctuation disaster to my attention. Sorry about that! That bugs me too so thanks for pointing it out! Hopefully this chapter was better in that respect :-)* **


End file.
